The political thoughts and opinions of a pragmatic Canadian Libertarian Economist. Do not mistake me for a real journalist, this is just one man's opinion.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

"Will Kirstine Stewart save the CBC?"

The Globe and Mail did a nice little bio piece Saturday on the latest Vice President of CBC English program services Kristine Stewart, asking whether or not she can save the network. A fortune teller once predicted she'd become Prime Minister and she has already "taken out a layer of management". Aside from that, the highlight of her bio, she once dated George Strombolopolis and later gave him a reality TV show that was cancelled after two weeks. Just like her predecessor, Kristine is engaged to be married to CBC on air talent. Her current fiancee is the "star" of Little Mosque on the Prairie, so it might be a stretch to call him "talent", but I'll bet his show isn't cancelled anytime soon. Do I think she'll save the CBC? It's unlikely, but at least we're getting some acknowledgment that the CBC is heading in the wrong direction and in need of salvation.

Kristine's predecessor Richard Stursberg is married to Carole MacNeil (she was "moved" from her Sunday Show with Soloman to the big news desk not long after saying I do). Needless to say it is quite the family affair over at the public broadcaster. Evidently if you want to "hook up" with someone on CBC television (male or female), your best bet is to try and become a CBC executive.

The CBC's 75th anniversary special is being exec produced by her fiancé Zaib Shaihk. He has no qualifications for that job. She has also put tens of thousands of dollars towards developing a new TV project for him after Little Mosque ends this year. It is well known throughout the Canadian creative community that if you cross Zaib Shaihk you will no longer be employable at CBC. I'm continually amazed that none of this ever makes it into the media.

Maybe this is totally irrelevant ... but Power & Politics today is a recycled program. There was a repeat of a debate which aired last June, between Bjorn Lomborg and Tom Rand here: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/1221258968/ID=2028332761. I guess it's because it's a holiday in Ontario (1st Monday in Aug. ?).

Shouldn't the fact the program is a repeat be made clear? Or maybe they figure no one is watching anyway, so no one is going to notice the repeat?-- Gabby in QC

Technically,Little Mosque on the Prairie isn't in bed with the CBC. The show is produced by outside "private" people and CBC simply pays for the episodes. In the west, CBC really only produces news & the odd little local show. If you think about ti that is what privat stations do except they spend way less money.